Coming Back Together (CBT) 2020, Family Weekend and Orange Central—three of Syracuse University’s signature campus gatherings—are being reimagined this fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The full CBT celebration will be postponed until 2021 (with a smaller virtual CBT event planned for October), and Family Weekend and Orange Central will be transformed into virtual events. Moving the events online takes into account Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations on social distancing and New York State mandates on large gatherings, and is in accordance with recommendations by the Public Health and Emergency Management Subcommittee of the University’s Fall 2020 Open Working Group to limit in-person gatherings and large events, especially those that require travel to Syracuse from other parts of the country.
Coming Back Together (CBT) 2020
The Office of Multicultural Advancement is postponing CBT 2020 until Sept. 9-12, 2021. A May survey of alumni found that 65 percent of respondents had been personally impacted by COVID-19, and this feedback influenced the decision to reschedule.
In the meantime, alumni can participate in the CBT Virtual Connection Series this summer, and a mini “virtual” CBT will be held on Friday, Oct. 16. This daylong event will include a career session, a book talk, a panel discussion, and a 150th anniversary celebration and Our Time Has Come fundraiser. The virtual CBT event is free of charge, and registration will open in August.
Family Weekend 2020
The University’s annual Family Weekend 2020 will continue virtually and remain scheduled for Oct. 16-18. Parents, family members and students will be able to participate in online presentations and discussions centered on facets of the student experience, as well as virtual community-building opportunities. Additional information, including the full schedule, will be posted on the Parent and Family Services website and shared via the Parent and Family Services newsletter later this summer.
Orange Central 2020
Orange Central, Oct. 29-Nov. 1, will offer a series of complimentary virtual reunions, school/college programs and pre-recorded content. An email announcing these plans will be distributed to all alumni soon, and registration will open in mid-August. Planning for an on-campus, in-person reunion for the milestone reunion classes is underway, with the hope that it can occur in spring 2021.
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